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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
Could never get into this. I had to push myself to finish.
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This was definitely a great fantasy novel.. Epic beginning to a series.. Tears were wrought a few times.. There's a lot of confusion still which I dedicated the star for. I do look forward to the rest of the books because I really enjoyed the writing style.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My first attempt to read this in the early 00s was a total failure, as I found it EXTREMELY derivative from the Lord of the Rings.
My second attempt almost 20 years later went much better, as this time I was able to enjoy its world building, without getting annoyed by how similar it is to its primary influence. It still was not amazing or anything, but at least I can now appreciate its quirks and interesting ideas. On the plus side there are no forced sex scenes that appear out of the blue in graphic detail that derail the entire narrative, a common and unfortunate occurrence in later GGK novels. There is a rape scene though, that might be triggering to victims of sexual abuse. At least it serves the plot and it is not fan service though. As if a rape scene could EVER be fan service. Anyway.
All in all, you could do a lot worse than reading this, if you can get past its derivative nature to find its strong suits.
NOTE: The above commentary applies to the entire trilogy, not one book in particular.
My second attempt almost 20 years later went much better, as this time I was able to enjoy its world building, without getting annoyed by how similar it is to its primary influence. It still was not amazing or anything, but at least I can now appreciate its quirks and interesting ideas. On the plus side there are no forced sex scenes that appear out of the blue in graphic detail that derail the entire narrative, a common and unfortunate occurrence in later GGK novels. There is a rape scene though, that might be triggering to victims of sexual abuse. At least it serves the plot and it is not fan service though. As if a rape scene could EVER be fan service. Anyway.
All in all, you could do a lot worse than reading this, if you can get past its derivative nature to find its strong suits.
NOTE: The above commentary applies to the entire trilogy, not one book in particular.
This story has many elements that I love in fantasy, and I think Kay crafted them well. I particularly enjoyed the atmosphere of Fionovar and its gods/mythology. However, I found the core five main characters underwritten, and therefore they did not work well within the story. I also struggled with how quickly and wholeheartedly five Canadian college students assimilated into a foreign and magical world. There was no transition or any thought to how frightening this whole experience would be. I also struggled with how the characters of Fionavar readily accepted them and positioned them in significant roles within their society. It felt like Kay used the "world hopping" aspect exclusively as a means to explain Fionovar to the reader, and it had no bearing on how the characters acted within the story. For that reason, the five main characters fell flat for me.
That being said, I really enjoyed the other characters and the conflict building in Fionovar. I will continue with the series and see where it goes.
That being said, I really enjoyed the other characters and the conflict building in Fionovar. I will continue with the series and see where it goes.
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
wow i was not expecting to love this book as much as i did. the world building is incredible, i felt a lot of similarities to the lord of the rings trilogy and often wondered if george rr martin was inspired by parts. unfortunately i listened to the audiobook and found that sections of the book were so heavy with histories and obscure names that i would get confused for periods of time but by the end of the chapter i figured it out. i know i missed a lot so i’ll definitely be reading the next book with my eyes and hopefully i’ll be able to follow the story a bit better in the moment.
the story follows 5 university friends who are invited to another realm to celebrate the king’s 50 year reign. the plot breaks off with each of the 5 friends and we’re taken on very different journeys with the different characters. i didn’t expect to be so moved by their stories. i think this is a book that i’ll think about for a very long time time.
as a fiber artist, i loved the idea of the tapestries, the Weaver on the Loom and the common phases of the people like ‘brightly woven!’ instead of ‘well done’.
one negative i found with the story was any of the sexual scenes and nudity felt so jarring and out of place.
the story follows 5 university friends who are invited to another realm to celebrate the king’s 50 year reign. the plot breaks off with each of the 5 friends and we’re taken on very different journeys with the different characters. i didn’t expect to be so moved by their stories. i think this is a book that i’ll think about for a very long time time.
as a fiber artist, i loved the idea of the tapestries, the Weaver on the Loom and the common phases of the people like ‘brightly woven!’ instead of ‘well done’.
one negative i found with the story was any of the sexual scenes and nudity felt so jarring and out of place.
SPOILERS I enjoyed it up until the rape scene at the end. I’m not a fan of sexual violence against women as a plot device especially since the child conceived from it is an entire plot point in the next book. Didn’t finish the second book due to this.
